Liverpool BLOCKED Mo Salah from representing Egypt at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, according to the Egyptian FA… with the tournament set to finish just seven days before the start of the Premier League season
Mo Salah was blocked by Liverpool from attending the Olympic Games, according to the Egyptian FA.
The Games are due to happen this summer in Tokyo, one year on from the original date, and the Reds star reportedly hoped to play for his international side in the Japanese capital.
However, clubs are not forced to release players as Olympic matches are not on the official FIFA calendar, meaning Liverpool could reject Salah and Egypt’s request.
Liverpool have reportedly refused to allow Mo Salah (right) to play at the Olympics for Egypt
The Egyptian FA said Salah wanted to go; but Liverpool have the right to refuse to release him
Egypt coach Shawky Gharib has claimed he asked the Premier League club on numerous occasions to let talismanic forward and star player Salah go.
He said: ‘I tried many, many times with Liverpool, as did the Egypt FA, to persuade them to let Salah be a part of the Olympic team but they refused completely.
‘Mohamed wanted to play the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. He talked with me, I did my best to bring him. Salah was a key player in my Olympic plans. But the club refused – we need to move on.’
The competition is set to end on August 7, exactly one week before the Premier League gets underway, with Jurgen Klopp’s side keen to give Salah a full pre-season.
Galatasaray, similarly, refused to let striker Mostafa Mohamed go, in another blow to Gharib’s plans ahead of Olympic group games against Argentina, Spain and Australia.
The new Premier League campaign starts just seven days after the competition is set to end
Gharib added: ‘Mostafa Mohamed was going to be the main striker in my team, but the same happened with his club. They refused to let him go as they will play important matches – I cannot do anything.
‘I even wanted to bring Trezeguet but he picked up an injury with Villa. Now we need to stop thinking about something that won’t be happening and focus on our campaign.’
Salah, whose goals helped fire the country to their first World Cup in 28 years at Russia 2018, has not yet publicly commented about the decision after Egypt released their squad list on Friday.
Egypt FA President Ahmed Megahed told BBC Sport Africa: ‘We started talking with them a long time ago because Salah wanted to play the Olympics but Liverpool were unclear. I knew in June they would not let him go. Anyway we respect their decision.’
Liverpool’s historic rivals Manchester United, however, have allowed Ivory Coast duo Eric Bailly and Amad Diallo go – although unlike Salah, neither are fundamental first-team regulars at Old Trafford.
